Wheels Within Wheels
by NeverEndingFool
Summary: Voldemort deceives everyone. Manipulating his enemies against one another is his specialty. The Death Eaters realize that maybe they aren't the exception. Oneshot


Wheels Within Wheels

--

It was a plot. A brilliant one, even. Among the greatest schemes Lord Voldemort had ever seen in his entire life, and the most unexpected, by far. For years, he'd been building his group of followers, winning people over with his contrived ideals and the supposed tenacity with which he fought to uphold them. His greatest skills were his charm and his ability to properly seperate, isolate, and spread discord through his enemies.

Even Dumbledore, the old wizard, champion of wizards country-wide and even world-round, and ultimately little more than an old fool, had acknowledged that talent, once.

All of Voldemort's deceptions and lies had come crashing down around him. His enemies were seperated, even occasionally fighting amongst each other, through his power he may still have his hold on the world by the throat, but that may not matter anymore. His own sense of poetic justice had created his goals and the plots that led to their fulfillment, and ironically, it was a sort of poetic justice that Harry Potter had, perhaps, defeated Voldemort with the same skills he himself posessed.

The boy was too similar to Voldemort, and perhaps more intelligent then he had ever anticipated. The realization was not as shocking as it would have been to some. He had certaintely, with this recent event, proved his worth as an adversary even greater than Dumbledore.

Around him, the stone walls of an abandoned castle, lined with knightly suits of armour, echoed eerily with the footsteps of Lucius Malfoy as he circled Voldemort, wand in hand, seething with anger. Voldemort was not phased, nor fearful. Malfoy was one of the best dark wizards in history, but Voldemort knew as well as anyone else, without arrogance or needless pride, that you had to be better than 'one of the best' if you were going to challenge Lord Voldemort and live.

"The boy has fooled you, Lucius. It is only proper you turn against me as he wished, I have no use for a servant... or, perhaps, family, who will turn against me on command of my greatest enemy. I have no use for one so weak to be deceived so easily." Voldemort's intimidating hiss echoed through the chamber, a message of fear to any sane wizard.

"The only one who has deceived me, deceived us, is you, you filthy half-blood slime. If I am weak, then you took advantage of it. Rest assured, after I destroy you, Potter will meet a similar fate, I am not his pawn, nor yours." Lucius was playing as though he was shaking with rage. Maybe, Voldemort thought, that was part of it, but his shaking had fear in it, too. Lucius was not brave, as any good Slytherin is not. His arrogance had simply convinced him that he would survive this encounter victorious.

Lucius sorely believed that that he had the boy under his thumb, that now that he recognized The Dark Lord's true motives he had everything figured out. Potter was playing him for a fool, and fools would not live in Voldemort's service for long.

"You are my pawn, my tool and an ends to my goals. Nothing more, just as Potter told you, and the only thing your resolve changes is which hands you are playing into. You will die tonight, Lucius, as I will not allow you to destroy my machinations."

--

_Lucius Malfoy sat, binded by magic and chain, held nowhere other than the elite magical school of Hogwarts. Before him, stood a sixteen year old Harry Potter, who was not turning Lucius in to the ministry, but trying to 'save' Lucius. There was no doubt the boy's intent was genuine, he was the nigh-holy 'Saint' Potter. He would defend his worst enemy to the death if he thought it was right and just._

_As typical of his character, he was trying to convince Malfoy to help himself. Saying he was being manipulated, fighting for a cause his master did not believe in. Malfoy knew better than to trust the boy's words. He, like his father, like his greatest teacher, was so caught up in doing the 'right thing' that he wasn't above hypocritical lying, or manipulation, to back up his claims._

_Lucius held his resolve for some time. It did not last._

_Potter's words were making sense. Lucius realized the truth. The boy was trying to show him the 'error' of his ways, but there was no error in the morals. The error was in the means. Malfoy decided to play the boy's game. He had pretended to be innocent once, and he would do so, again. The Dark Lord... no, Voldemort, would pay dearly for his deception._

--

Malfoy's killing curse sped past the short distance between Voldemort and him, but it was interupted by a stone brick levitated quickly from the ground. In fact, Voldemort was levitating and manipulating the entire stone floor surface between the combatants, revealing a chasm leading to the next floor. The bricks, themselves, however, formed a stone wall around Voldemort.

"_Reducto._" Lucius said loudly, and Lord Voldemort knew he was meant to hear it as a taunt, Lucius seemed overly confidant in his ability to remove a simple brick wall. The spell hit the wall and destroyed it, but Voldemort was no longer encased in them. Voldemort knew Lucius would recognize the basic maneuver, and Lucius, indeed, turned around and launched a stunning spell to the dark figure apparating several feet behind him.

"Your trickery and deception will not serve you in a duel as well as it has elsewhere, vermin." Malfoy taunted, empowered by the belief that his enemy had nothing more to offer than basic tricks.

Voldemort offered no response as a perfect shield charm sent the spell back to Malfoy, but the younger dark wizard was no longer there to receive the attack. He was a short step to the right, wand waving through a movement quickly followed by a Cruciatus curse.

A shield, once mounted on the wall of the chamber, shattered into pieces as it found itself between the curse and Voldemort's face. He offered none of his usual arrogance in his features, displaying a simple, perhaps bored look that somehow radiated lethality. The two swords mounted behind the shield had remained, however, and found themselves soaring at high speeds towards Lucius. Two red jets of light destroyed them completely, however, as three dark robed figures ran into the chamber and leaped the gap in the floor left by Voldemort's earlier attempt at protection, and joined Lucius at his side.

--

_How could Lucius not have realized it? It seemed so obvious, now that Potter had dragged the dark lies kicking and screaming into the light. It was such a perfect deception, Voldemort had been using that very tool to aid him and the Death Eaters since the beginning. Yet, not one of them ever imagined for even the breifest of moments that they, too, were being deceived._

_There was more than his power or his immortality that made him the greatest dark wizard to ever exist, certaintly. That he had so perfectly played his enemies against each other, was so characteristic of the Dark Lord, and yet so unsuspected._

_He approached the ancient castle that now held the home of the Death Eaters. He would warn his allies. He would confront Voldemort and destroy him. Just because their leader was not as convicted as he had led them to believe was not a reason, at all, to bring a halt to their fighting for their cause._

_Malfoy stormed through the castle doors, almost able to feel the desire to kill pounding behind his eyes, such was his fury._

--

"Bella? You betray me, as well?" Voldemort's hiss was softer when he addressed her. The almost human part of him reminded him that she was loyal and faithful, and that he would spare her if he could. The almost human part of him enabled him to use more sympathetic emotions if he felt they would further his ends. Perharps Bellatrix Lestrange, faithful follower, could be persuaded to remain loyal with an almost emotional response.

"We have heard Lucius' claims, he belives what he says is true." Lestrange responded, as Malfoy, Bellatrix, as well and Rudolphus and Rabastan began to encircle Voldemort, surrounding him. "He has told us what the Potter boy has revealed about you, and your plotting. Is it true?" Voldemort seized his oppurtunity.

"Of course not. You, all of you, are my family. We share our ambitions, I have not hidden them from you. Malfoy is trying to seize power over the Death Eaters by ousting me, as is his arrogance." It was a lie, as Malfoy knew... but Voldemort would try to convince her, to hold onto his power and bring an early end to Potter's manipulations at only the cost of Lucius Malfoy.

"It's true, Bellatrix." Malfoy interrupted, turning to face her. Had it not been more prudent to allow him to speak his truths, so Voldemort could paint them as lies, the Dark Lord would have killed him the moment he dropped his guard. Perhaps Lucius knew that. "What reason has he had to wish to purify the wizarding race? He is a half-blood, and we all saw past that, saw he was willing to fight against his own heritage for our cause, when he actually saw us as his enemy. We put aside our differences with him, and he did not do the same for us." Potter had no doubt told Malfoy of Voldemort's truest intentions, Voldemort knew, but even when his lies were dragged into the light, Malfoy could not see the truth.

"Malfoy is a powerful wizard, and he now smears my title so he can assure that power over mine. He is greedy and ambitious and has always been, and has only waited this long out of fear." Not entirely unreasonable, as Malfoy was very much the character to take what power he could get. "I would not lie to you, Bella. You are as important to me as any of my family. Perhaps moreso." Voldemort's charm, a great strength of his, had not waned in his years.

"It is true. You would not deceive me... we have trusted each other always, and I still do." Bellatrix was successfully coerced, as Voldemort intended. Rudolphus and Rabastan exchanged glances with her and then, Malfoy.

"He is lying, Bellatrix. He cannot love as he claims, hold any such emotion or attachment, it is poison to him... that is what protected the Potter boy when he was an infant, and at the Ministry of Magic, the love for the boy and his love for those he knew would not allow this half-blood to harm him." Voldemort refrained from shooting a poisonous glare at Malfoy. It was true, of course, but he had not told his Death Eaters... Potter was clever, indeed. Bellatrix's newfound resolve seemed to crumble, and she looked the Dark Lord in his eyes.

Bellatrix stepped toward Voldemort, wand no longer drawn, her features showing a mix of curiosity and disgust. She strode towards him, dark robes trailing behind, and placed her hand to his cheek. Voldemort's face burned as he recoiled, and Ballatrix's features suddenly turned scornful, her eyes full of hate.

--

_"He's been lying to us all along," Lucius Malfoy was addressing his allies. His fellow Death Eaters flocked to hear what he had to say, about who had betrayed him._

_"Who has?" a younger Death Eater, Orin, asked._

_"The Dark Lord... Voldemort." There were gasps in the forming crowd. Some even drew their wands. "We know he was half-blooded, and he suffered for it since his induction to the Wizarding World. He believes us pompous, arrogant... the same as Dumbledore did. The same as Potter still does."_

_"He'd never! Why fight so hard against the flithy blooded animals we slaughter?" Macnair protested, standing out from the group as one of the top figures in the Death Eaters._

_"The muggles treated him like dirt beneath their heel!..._

_... and he was a half-blooded wizard sorted into Slytherin! Don't you understand how he'd have been treated? He hates wizards. He hates muggles. He wants to rule or destroy us all, he's not fighting for your stupid cause, don't you get it?" Potter was nearly screaming. As he always was, he was sincere, almost saintly, just like his reputation would suggest._

_"You are nothing but a filthy liar, Potter, and you will still die like your parents, screaming and begging for mercy at the Dark Lord's hands..." Lucius readied himself for an attack. Physical or magical. However, Potter did not lose his temper as he would have only months ago. He buried his head in his hand, the other, loosely holding his wand._

_"Get out of here." Potter said, almost whispering. "Go back to Voldemort. Don't try anything, or you'll regret it. Go."_

_"The boy told me the truth, I do not doubt. He hopes to spread discord among us, to weaken our resolve... but he will not suceed. We can oust our weakest link, Voldemort, and then we will be unified, pure, without his half-blooded taint and lies." The speech ended. Malfoy felt the slightest anxiety, wondering if the Death Eaters would rally beneath him or kill him on the spot. He watched, letting his anger, his hatred show as he surveyed the crowd before him._

_"Join me or not. I will confront him. This deception will not stand."_

--

Bellatrix stepped backwards, back towards Malfoy and the Lestranges, raising her wand at the last step. She was distraught, feeling betrayed and deceived, and most of all, angry. She sputtered for a moment, trying to shout a curse, but did not find the words. Realizing he had failed to convince her, Voldemort capitalized on her moment of weakness and drew his wand on Bellatrix, sending a Killing Curse screaming towards her.

Rudolphus dived and brought Bellatrix to the floor, falling on top of her as the Killing Curse sailed over his head. At the same time, his wand was out and aimed, firing a stunning spell. In the same instant, both Rabastan and Lucius sent off the same spell. Voldemort waved his wand in one grand gesture, and the three red streaks of light vanished before reaching him. Recovering quickly, Bellatrix screamed the incantation for a killing curse of her own, but in her blind rage could not anticipate Voldemort's sudden step to the side. The action stopped and the gethered Death Eatrs silently began to establish a semi-circle around Voldemort.

"If you want a confession of guilt, you know better than to expect it from me." Voldemort started. Before continuing, his snake-like face twisted and showed a sort of sick smile. "If you want to hear a confession of my deception, then know this; Your disgusting arrogance based on something as irrelevant as ancestry has never held any importance to me, only loathing. Those who shared your beliefs made my transition from the worthless muggle society to the wizarding world no great improvement."

They had all suspected it, at this point, but Bellatrix herself was nonetheless almost shaking from what she was hearing. Voldemort knew she felt betrayed, deceived, and just as well she would suffer for her treachery.

"You are nothing to me, any of you. You never will amount to anything more than my pawns, even if you do not follow me. Your foolish belief in pure bloodlines has blinded you, and made you incapable of ever being more than tools at my disposal, and now that you have failed at even that, tools at Potter's disposal." Voldemort was almost spitting out his words, making sure his former followers understood what a mockery they really were.

The arrogance of every single one of them was quick to influence their actions. Voldemort knew they were incapable of defending their weakness with words, and would respond aggressively. He didn't give them a chance to do that.

"_Avada Kedavra._" He hissed, and the green light found itself working it's way towards the Death Eater opposite Voldemort; Rabastan Lestrange. To his left and right respectively, Lucius and Bellatrix launched off stunning spells, only to find them deflected back towards them as Rabastan avoided the Killing Curse by doing a sort of dance backwards - straight into the hole in the floor Voldemort had created earlier. The Killing Curse went over his head as he tumbled in, grabbing the ledge with his wand hand just in time, dropping his wand to the floor below him.

Lucius and Belltatrix had both deflected their own stunners back at Voldemort, and once again Voldemort returned the gesture, the spells continually flying back between casters. Bellatrix and Lucius continued the pattern, but this time, Voldemort saw Rudolphus mouthing the words to the killing curse and sent the deflected stunners towards him instead. The two stunners caught Rudolphus by surprise and cut off his incantation, and the combined power sent him through the air, backwards, towards the same pit in the middle of the chamber that Rabastan had tumbled into. Rudolphus hit the ground in front of the chasm and rolled into it, collapsing onto his brother and dragging them both to the next floor with an echoing 'thud.'

"_Avada Kedavra._" Bellatrix continued her attack, but her curse did not strike Voldemort. In front of Voldemort, the leggings of a suit of armor stood. On the gorund around them, the remainder of a suit of armour, shattered into pieces. Voldemort lowered his wand as the rest of the armoured soldiers that lined the walls of the chamber took their places between him and his former followers. The green lights streaked acrosss the room, three suits fell. Three more Death Eaters joined the group. Voldemort didn't care to try to identify them, it didn't matter. The Death Eaters had betrayed him.

Raising swords, the armours marched toward the revolting Death Eaters on Voldmeort's very thought.Turning away from the battle, Voldemort made for the exit at the back of the chamber. There were wards on the castle to prevent anyone from apparating in and out of it, while apparation while inside to another part of inside was possible. Before he made his exit, he felt the last of the animated armour escape his command as it was destroyed. Voldemort continued to the exit regardless.

The moment he went through the doorway it collapsed behind him, a result of poorly aimed Killing Curses on the part of his pursuers. Smiling at how the failed curses had ensured his escape, Voldemort was unconcerned, until the entire passageway to exit the castle started to collapse on top of him.

--

"Is he gone?" Bellatrix asked, having had a hand in the collapse. She was exhausted almost immediately, having used an immense amount of magic to bring down an entire part of the castle. The same efforts on the part of Lucius Malfoy, Walden Macnair, Antonin Dolohov and Augustus Rookwood were what had made it possible at all.

"I believe he is. We would know if he broke the anti-apparation wards. He has perished." Lucius Malfoy could not have been happier, but his exhaustion kept him from showing it. Breathing heavily and wiping sweat from his brow, Lucius continued. "Potter planned this. He intended for us to destroy Voldemort. The Order of the Phoenix will anticipate his demise. At this point, we can no longer play into their hands. We shall remain strong and continue the war. I will assume leadership for the time being, until we are capable of properly appointing a new Dark Lord. Does anyone object?"

The group agreed, including Bellatrix, with a bit of disdain. She did not have the greatest faith in Malfoy, but there would be a time to deal with that. For now, they had to regroup.

--

The night sky seemed devoid of stars above Voldemort. He was not defeated, not quite. The Death Eaters would still continue their war, and wasn't that the goal all along?

To have the wizards destroy themselves. To put him in a position of such power that he could turn the wizards against the Muggles. That power of leadership could be regained, in a different time or place. Immortality ensured he would have plenty of time to see his plans to fruition.

He had time to plan his next move... his enemies, all believing him dead would be an advantage to take advantage of in the future. Potter's machinations would prove futile in the end.

The world and all the lives in it would still be Voldemort's, in the end.


End file.
